Collapsible shelter



DeC- 23 1941 G. F. DABNEY COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER IVIIIII GENE F DA eNEYDEC. 23, G. F DABNEY COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22,1939 .1NvENToR.

GENE F DA/vey BY C MAM hb/ ATToR Ex Patente-d Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED;STATES cargar ori-ics '2 Claims.

This invention relates to shelters and more especially to a collapsible'sun shelter, and is a continuation in part of my copending application,Serial No. 210,761, filed May 28, 1938.

An object of the invention is toprovide a simple, practical andinexpensive article of the character described.

Another object is to provide a sun and wind shelter having novelfeatures of collapsibility and portability.

Another Objectis to provide in a shelterof the character describedimproved features of comfort, facility andsimplicity of erection andcollapsibility. v

More specic objects andadvantageswill appear and be brought out morefully inthe following specication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view of an embodiment of the invention showing the articlefully; expanded in condition for use;

Fig. 2 is a View of the samecollapsed'and compacted for transporting;

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the brace members;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of the saidstructural features;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another of the structuralfeatures;

Fig. 7 is a view showing means for securing the article to the ground;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modied form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section;

Fig. 10 is a plane View partly in section of the same;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail of the cover showing means for fasteningthe cover member to the floor member;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view illustrating the means of fastening thedevice in folded position;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line I3-I3 ofFig. l0;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line I4-I4 of Fig. 15; and

Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the hub also shown in Fig. 14.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I show a pair of bowmembers I0 and Il respectively, preferably of resilient steel or theequivalent, and a plurality of similar bow members I2 positionedtherebetween, the bow members each taken along the line having terminalloops I 3v by which they are an elongated loop*2I for connection witheachv ring I 4 and may be provided with a loop 2,2 to facilitate placinginthe ground and removal therefrom.

A pair of braces 23Y are pivotally securedk at 24VV and 25 respectivelyto bows I0 and I I and each brace consists of a pair of strap irons 26pivotedV together at 2l and provided collar 28 which may be slipped overthe overlapping portions of members 26 be slipped away from theoverlapping," portions for collapsing the brace in the usual manner.- -A

central brace 29 is provided forthev articleamtlY comprises strapmembers 30, 3| and 32; member 3l being pivoted at 33 to bow II; member32 being pivotally secured to members 30 and 3| in a manner similar tobraces 26; member 30 having an L-shaped member 34 secured adjacent thefree end thereof whereby the same may be engaged with bow I Il as shownin Fig. 5 when the brace 29 is extended and stiifened as shown in Fig.l.

A plurality of rings I 4a. be secured t0 tabs I4b, to cover I5 adjacentbow ing as shown in Fig. 6. A plurality of ties 34 are secured to floorpieces II for securing the article in collapsed position as shown inFig. 2. A bail 35 is secured from detachment by a strap 36 secured toone of the floor pieces I'l, the ends of which are adapted to engageapertures in strap members 33 and 32 whereby the article may be carriedwhen, compacted.

I show a plurality of pockets 31 secured on the inner side of cover l5which may be used for placing therein articles such as cigarettes,magazines and the like.

The article may be compacted bywithdrawing the stakes 2i) from theground, removing member 34 from bow Ill and folding brace 29 and braces23, thus permitting the bows I0 and I2 to collapse on bow II. Floorpieces I1 may thereupon similar to ring I4 may the latter being sewed IIfor auxiliary anchorwith a rectangular to maintainthem-` in straightrelation for bracingV and which mayil be wrapped around the bows andcover I5 and the end portions overlapped as shown in Fig. 2 and passedbetween braces and 32 and tied by ties 34 and bail 35 secured to braces36 and 3|.

In Figs. 8 to 15 I show a modif-led form of a shelter in which a pair ofhubs 4l each having an aperture 42 secure the ends of a plurality ofresilient wire ribs 43 having end portions 44 turned inwardly atsubstantially right angles which extend through apertures 45 in one ofthe hub member plates, of which there are two, they being held togetherby a plurality of bolts 46. Centrally at the rear portion of the sheltera U-shaped clip 41 is secured about the terminal rib 43 and held by bolt48. A strap 49 is secured by a bolt or rivet to clip 41 and Vis securedto a ring 5I which is adapted to engage.

the head of a pin 52 secured to a U-shaped clip 53 secured to the otherterminal rib 43 by bolt 54.

A floor piece 55 of suitable fabric material, such as canvas or thelike, is provided with a plurality of apertures having eyelets 56secured thereto and a ring 51 is secured as by a strap 58 to the lowerterminal rib 43 adjacent each eyelet 56 for the reception of abifurcated peg 59 having a shouldered head by which the floor 55 is heldto the ground, a peg passing through each ring 51.

The fabric cover portion comprises a plurality of rsegments 60 whichloverlap at their edge portions which are sewed or otherwise securedtogether as at 6|,va rib 43 being held in each of the overlapping.portions. An abbreviated apron 62 may be secured to the forward terminalrib portion if desired. A rear edge portion 63 of the top may be dividedand left free so as to overlie the rear edge portion of the flooring 55.If

desired, these parts may be secured together in any suitable manner.

A collapsible stiffener strap is provided and compri-ses members 64, 65and 66, members 64 and 65 being secured together by any suitable pivot61 and members 64 and 66 being similarly secured by a pivot 61. Thesemembers each consist preferably of a resilient steel bar section and areprovided with intertting humps and recesses 68 and 69 by which thestiffener strap will be held in extended position against inadvertentcollapse, but may be collapsed by pivoting the members 64, 65 and 66 ontheir pivots 61 when the shelter is to be collapsed. Member 65 ispivotally secured to bolt 48 by the head 10 thereof, and member 66 issimilarly pivotally secured to bolt 54 by the head 1I thereof. One ormore pockets 12 may be provided on the inner side of the cover elementif desired.

As may be seen in Fig. 12, when the shelter is collapsed pin 52 of clip53 is adjacent strap 49 and ring 5I secured toclip 41 and ring 5l may besecured to pin 52 and the shelter secured in collapsed position, theflooring 55 being rolled or folded within the folds of the covermaterial.

-Having described my invention, what I claim 1. In a device of thecharacter described, the combination of a pair of hub members, twoterminal rib members and a plurality of intermediate rib members, eachsaid rib member being individually pivoted at each o-f its ends to oneof the hub members whereby said ribs can be folded together or swungapart to form a frame simulating a section of a sphere, a cover securedat spaced intervals to each of said ribs and foldable with them, andmeans engageable with the terminal ribs when they are swung apart forholding the frame unfolded and the cover taut, said la-st named meanscomprising a semi-rigid strap member composed of a plurality of sectionspivotally connected with each otherat their ends so that they can becollapsed to lie face to face or extended in longitudinal alignment forthe frame holding purpose, said strap member being permanently securedat one end to one terminal rib and detachably connectable with' theother terminal rib.

2. A structure as dened in claim 1 in which means is provided on saidstrap and effective at the pivotal connections therein to hold the strapsections in longitudinal alignment and against inadvertent foldingmovement.

GENE F. DABNEY.

